Process of fixation of nitrogen.



EDGAR ARTHUR ASHCROFT, O13v LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF FIXATION OF NITROGEN.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR ARTHUR Aeriouorr, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 99 Buckingham Palace road, in the county of London, and of Plumley, Bovey Tracey, in the county of Devon, England, haveinvented new and useful Process of Fixation of Nitrogen, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful process for the fixation of nitrogen in the form of cyanamids, or cyanids, of the alkali metals, or such of the alkaline earth, or other, metals, as will react in a manner analogous to that hereinafter described, the process to which this invention relates being of the kind in which nitrogen, carbon (either as free carbon, or as carbid) and a metal, are caused to react with or without the presence of another metal such as iron and with or without the presence of hydrogen at a temperature preferably below the boiling point of sodium and a pressure considerably above that of the atmosphere.

lhe cyanamids and the cyanide herein referred to are, in themselves, of great technical importance, but, having regard to the far greater importance of ammonia, and of the alkalis, or other products, which may be derived from cyanainids, or cyanids, my in vention also relates to the combination with the above-mentioned manufacture ofthe further treatment of the resulting cyanamids, or cyanids, to form ammonia and alkalis, (or other metal oXids, hydrates, or carbonates, as the case may be), or of any other derived products according to any known, or suitable, reactions. \Vithout limiting my invention to these materials, or the products thereof, I will describe 'it with reference to the use of the alkali metals, and more particularly metallic sodium, as the starting point. Other analogous reactions, as far as they are applicable and attainable, will, from this description, be obvious to any one conversant with the manufacture to which this invention relates.

By experiment and research I have found that nitrogen gas can be very readily united withsuch metals, (for instance sodium), if

the operation be carried on infthe presence of carbon which may be in any form but-is preferably in the form' of finely divided charcoal, and also under a pressure much greater than atmospheric pressure and a. suitably adjusted comparatively low taro.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

sub salts, or oxide; for example Na Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed December 21, 1914. Serial No. 878,408;

perature, namely, at pressures for example between 50 and 200 atmospheres and upward and at temperatures from about 300 centigrade upward according to the pressure employed. I have found that as a rule the greater the pressure employed the lower the temperature at which the reaction will take place.

I have further found that the first product of such direct synthesis is not, as might have been expected, the normal sodium cyanid, or cyanamid, but a compound hitherto unknown in commerce as an isolated body, and having a formula corresponding to disodium cyanid, (or sodium subi-cyanid), that is to say, containing one half the amount of cyanogen, (or in other Words double the amount of metal), contained in the normal and well-known sodium cyanid.

T he said product, di-sodium cy-anid, is a, White substance closely resembling normal sodium cyanid and melting at about the same temperature. In the cold it is hi hly deliquescent but is stable in dry air and it dissol es in water and decomposes withalmost explosive rapidity giving hydrogen gas and producing a solution of equal molecular proportions of sodium cyanid and so dium hydroxid. It thus behaves as though itwere a solution of the metal in the normal cyanid, which however is quite analo gone to the known behavior of certain other behaves in a similarmanner. The said disodium cyanid is a strongly reducing sub stance and will be useful in many arts, or it may be converted into normal sodium cyanid by first treating it with ammonia to form di-sodium cyanamid and afterward heating with carbon at suitably regulated normal sodium cyanid.

Ihave further found that by mixing with of sodium in small pieces, or Wires, and

the original charge (for example a charge finely pulverized wood charcoal) or with the product of reaction No. 1 re-pulverized, certain proportions of any suitable catalyzing substance, (for instance finely divided iron which acts well in this connection and is not acted upon by the fused product of the reaction), the reaction, though taking place as aforesaid and at the same temperature, is nevertheless greatly modified by the presence of such catalyzing substance and results under such circumstances in the practically quantitative formation of di-sodium cyunamid according to the following reaction (which I will refer to as reaction No. 2)

whereby double the quantity of nitrogen is fixed and the whole of the sodium is thus use as in the aforesaid reaction. No. l.

The resulting disodi.um cyanamid is a "well-lmown, and highly important, industrial product. It can be converted into normal sodium cyanid by simple fusion with carbon, or into ammonia and sodium carbonate by treatment with steam under pres sure, the latter reaction being far more easily carried out than in the case of the analogous, and better known, calcium cyanamid. Also the recovered alkali adds additional value to the sodium, or potassium, products, as compared with the industrial product calcium cyanamid.

in carrying out the aforesaid reactions I prefer to employ hydrogen gas in admixture with the nitrogen. Eu hydrogen is of course consumed in the aforesaid reactions, but its presence appears to accelerate the reactions. This may be due to a gaseous catalytic action, but is more probably due to its infinupon the equilibrium of the gases in some of the intermediate reactions which may take place in forming the final products.

Both the reactions herembefore described as fairly strongly exothermic and both t he place at, or about, the same temperature both products fusing also at, or about,

same temperature.

i will now give two examples from my experiments which will further illustrate the nature of this invention. Both these examples l have confirmed many times and the results have practically agreed in all tl'iese trials and I have made a great numher of other experiments in following up the researches in a variety of directions far too numerous to particularize, but all practically represented by analogy in the following examples. The correct temperatures a. sures and other ph ical constants and the best method of u ..ng under varied conditi to raw materials and products be found by any one conversant nufacture to which this invenfully employed, instead of only one half sure,

placed in an inner crucible, or pot, of pol-'- ished iron, or steel, contained in a steel autoclave, or vessel, provided with a cover, inlet and outlet valves, and gages, and capable of withstanding high pressure. The inner crucible, or pot, isseparated from. the walls of the autoclave by a narrow space filled with gas which equalizes the pressure 'on the and prevents any tendency to force the charge into the pores of the iron, or steel. The innercrucible, or pot, maybe removed entire with the charge for recharging and weighing when the treatment is finished. The sodium is out into small pieces, or is drawn into wires, and mixed intimately with the charcoal and the whole inner crucible, or pot, may be filled therewith. Nitrogen is admitted with about equal volumes of hydrogen all ata pressure of say atmospheres' toclave, the pressure, by reason of'expansion of the gases, rises when the temperature reaches 350 centigrade, and then the reaction begins; The heating may be discontinued and the temperature will automatically rise" to about 550 centigrade in a few minutes and will then slowly fall again. The gaseous preswhich otherwise would fall away continuously by reason of the consumption of the nitrogen, should be kept up by supplying inner pot,

, fresh nitrogen at about the working pressure of 200 atmospheres. No fresh hydro-- gen need be supplied for the reaction, but a small quantity combines with carbon as hereinafter mentioned.

. The reaction will be complete in a very short time if the charge be very finely divided and intimately mixed, but will take somewhat longer in its latter stages if the particles be large. If the temperature has not risen above 560 centigrade, or thereabout, the charge is not fused, though the carbon soaks up the more or less plastic salt, producing 'a loosely agglomerated matrix which can be readily removed from the cruciblc. ,If the heat has been raised to over 560 centigrade, the charge is fused and will be white and clean. Any excess carbon if present appears to form some sodium earbid and sinks to the bottom of the melt, its presence being afterward revealed by the formation On heating the au-- to about 200 atmospheres, ,3

of a little acetylene when the settlings from the fused product are dissolved in water.

. with the original charge.

X0 acetylene appears to be formed from'the similar treatment of the clear white di-sodium cyanid forming the upper part of the fused melt. The polished iron, or steel, crucibles and other parts of the apparatus employed for the hereinbefore described operations are absolutely unaffected by the material, or gas, at the low temperatures employed, and may be used again and again without change of their weight and will even retain a polished and untarnished surface after being used many times. The product in this case was 144 grams of disodium cyanid mixed with a little of the ex cess of charcoal employed, but otherwise pure within the limits of a small experiment.

Example 2: Fixing nitrogen in the form of di-sodium cyanamid. The procedure is in all respects the same as in Example No. 1, with the exception that a catalyzer consisting of finely divided iron, (I have obtained excellent results when employing the pulverized and washed residues resulting from the ferro-cyanid process of making normal sodium cyanid wherein the iron is precipitated by metallic sodium), or other metal. or catalyzing substance is intimately mixed The product in this case, if the reaction be complete, is 172 grams of di-sodium cyanamid mixed with any excess of carbon employed. It is either fused, or not, in accordancewith what I have before stated, according to the temperature reached.

It is found that the temperature at which these reactions become sufficiently energetic, (or the practical starting temperature of reaction), is higher the less the pressure employed. Thus with 100 atmospheres it appears to be about 380 centigrade, while with 200 atmospheres it is about 350 centigrade. Thus a ready means is presented for regulating the speed and the temperature of reaction and it seems probable that external heating of the vessels may ultimately be dispensed with when using large enough charges, a suitable means being merely provided to start the reaction and the reaction heat doing the rest, regulated by the pressure of the gases admitted.

As an alternative method of practical working it may be convenient to employ the materials in a fused emulsion in the reaction vessel and circulate the gases continually by means of a pump and a' pipe dipping into the melt, thuskeeping the melt Well stirred and bringing the gases more freely into contact with the charge". Or it may be convenient to pack the charcoal in an upright column, or premurevessel, suitably heated..and to force the molten sodium through it by means of a pump, or squeezing device. the said sodium being carried downward T by the. pressure of the nitrogen, the charcoal being greatly in excess, and the excess acting as a filter from which emerges the fused product of the reactions which take place during the passage under pressure down the column, or the like. A slightly released pressure at the lower end would be the means of regulating the speed of descent for the molten material the receiving vessel at the bottom being periodically emptied. Or a mechanical device resembling a ballmill may be employed to insure complete and rapid reaction.

\Vhatever method of working, or form of apparatus, be employeththe raw materials, the process, and the products, are substantially the same. 'The further treatment of the products of the aforesaid reactions may be as follows, and may be carried out either in the same, or in a separate, apparatus. 1

The following operations may be' employed as steps in the manufacture of nitrogen products, or of ammonia, or of ammonia and alkalis from alkali metals, nitrogen and carbon.

For the production of other products from the di-sodium cyanid, ammonia may be first employed this reaction taking place at about 500 centigrade.

Reaction No. 3:

The di-s odium cyanamid may then be utilized as hereinafter stated, orin any known, or suitable, manner.. I have further discovered that the di-sodium cyanid may be fused directly with sodium ferro cyanid whereby the following reaction takes place:

Reaction U0. 4:

t which yields the whole of the cyanogen and lyzer, if present, should first be removed by settling in a molten condition in order to avoid a reversal of the reaction which results the decomposition of the cyanid which, at temperatures at, or about 600 centigrade and upward, is promoted by catalytic substances such, for instance, as iron. The di-sodium cyanamid made bv .this'process will however find a far more extended application in agriculture, or as a source of ammonia, or of dlcyand amld for which purposes it may be used directly on the soil where suitable in the manner of calcium cyanamid, or it may be converted into the latter, or into any other cyanamid form (such as dicyandiamid) by known reactions.

If ammonia and alkali carbonate are to be the end products the sodium cyanamid is'preferably treated with steam, or water under pressure. Complete decomzposition takes ,place at, or below, 200 Centigrade, and this operation may, if desired, be carried out in the same reaction vessel as that in which the fixation of nitrogen takes place by merely introducing, by sprinkling, for instance, a suitable-quantity of water after the nitrogen reaction is finished and while the charge is'yet hot. This charge and residue may be washed out and filtered, and the alkali recovered by crystallization, the ammonia being also, recovered, in any suitable manner, from the gases, or solution. By the use of this invention the very ad vantageous result is obtained of a direct, rapid, and quantitative, synthesis of the three elements metal, carbon, and nitrogen, at temperatures so low as to render the operation economical and easy to carry out. By the simple device of greatly increased gaseous pressures all the difliculties hitherto experienced in attempts to bring about such synthesis are removed,

It is well known that in many processes for making carbids, or nitrids, of metals, or in effecting the synthesis of cyanogen, or cyanids, or cyanamids, by methods hitherto practised, or proposed, very high temperatures, (from 1000, to 2500", Centigrade), have been employed and at such temperatures many practical difliculties have arisen. Even when rendered practical at all, such processes are expensive, whereas the triple synthesis hereinbefore described takes place at so low a temperature as to be within the resistance range of iron, or steel, vessels and the necessary apparatus becomes both practical and economica The cost of compressing the gases is trifling and unimportant in the total expense of the process.

When alkali metals are employed for the synthetic process hereinbefore described such metals can be cheaply obtained, for instance, by the processes described in the specification of British Letters Patent Nos. 1001 and 1003 A. D. 1912.

Instead of the separated alkali metals, alloys of such' metals with another metal (for example sodium lead alloy) may be used. Or the nascent metal reduced by electrolysis and dissolved in the melt according to the process described in the specification of British Letters Patent 228 A. D. 1910 and 1002 A. D. 1912 may be used, in which case the melt may be circulated simultaneously, or alternately, through the pressure kettle and the secondary cello'f the electrolytic apparatus, suitable pipes, pumps, and passages, being arranged for this purpose, and the apparatus being placed in suitable juxtaposition to each other.

As an alternative source of metal, (alkali metal for instance), such metals can be reduced from their oxids, hydrates, or carbonates, and retained by charcoal in excess.

' Thus, if a body of charcoal be saturated, or mixed, with sodium hydroxid, or with sodium carbonate, either dry, or in solution, and then dried and strongly heated, the charcoal being greatly in excess, free alkali metals, or carbids, or both, will be produced and retained in the, mass which may thereafter be caused to react with nitrogen in the hereinbefore described manner and with a like result, at a low temperature, all as hereinbefo-re described for the free metals.

The explanation of the aforesaid reactions may be sought in several different directions which will at once suggest themselves to the physical chemist and it is not useful, or necessary, herein to elaborate any discussion of the mode of propagation of the reactions. The course of the reactions seem to point to direct triple synthesis in which the presence of all three elements in juxtaposition is necessary. In the reaction No. l the fact that a dicyanogen salt, and not cyanamid, is produced, in spite of the low temperature, seems a proof that ammonia is not first pro duced, (as might be supposed), and then reacting With the metal. and carbon produces cyanamid salts, for in that case cyanamid, and not a dicyanid, would be formed. In reaction No. 2, it seems still more probable that ammonia is formed. In that case it is not necessary to attain any great concentra -tion of the ammonia gas and therefore a condition of equilibrium quite unsuitable for the separation of ammonia as such, will suffice for this reaction. I have however found, by experiment, that if the alkali metal be contained in an isolated receptacle and its surface be merely exposed to the gases, while the catalyzer and charcoal are still present in contact also with the gases, practically no reaction will take place and a higher temperature must be employed andthe conditions must be substantially altered so as to closely imitate the known conditions for the direct synthesis of ammonia, (see researches of Haber and Le Rossignol Van, Ordt and others), which will then react with the alkali metal and carbon, but more slowly, to form cyanamid of the metal.

I am of opinion that the reactions described are a direct triplesynthesis the nature of which, in the case of reaction No. 2, is directly modified by the presence of the eatalyzer but it is possible of course that the true explanation of the reactions may prove be brought'about through the medium of a primary formation of either carbids, nitrids, or hydrids, of hyclrocyanic acid, or of ammonia. not bind myself in anyway to the above possible explanations of the phenomena concerning which I am making further researches which may prove of scientific .interest, but such researches cannot afiect the present invention which is technically complete and fully described herein.

I have foiuid that by substituting coalgas for hydrogen in the above reaction (especially the reaction No. 2) a favorable result is produced, the coal gas contributing some carbon to the reaction. I have also observed that in every case where hydrogen, or coal gas, under pressure is..heated with solid charcoal asin the aforesaid experiments some carbon is taken up by the gases. It is therefore necessary for complete re action either to have an excess of charcoal present in the first instance, or to employ a. high carbon gas which will deliver some carbon to the charge. Carbon may also be applied for the'aforesaid reactions by the use of any of the various hydrocarbons which are otherwise suitable, for example, benzol, naphthalin, paraflin, acetylene, and the like may be used. I

It will of course be obvious that many other metals, and particularly those in the same periodic group as iron, and likewise metals, oxids, and salts, which are known to possess catalytic properties, may be employed in place of iron.

WVhat I claim is 1. The fixation of nitrogen by reacting nitrogen, carbon and a metal under a pressure of at least fifty atmospheres.

2. The fixation of nitrogen by reacting nitrogen, carbon and a metal under a pressure of at least fifty atmospheres and at a temperature of 300 ,centigrade and upward.

3. As a new product, di-alkali .cyanid, being a white substance resembling sodium cyanid in appearance, highly deliquescent when cold but stable in dry air, dissolving .in water with almost explosive rapidity,

Ge ie: of thin patent may be obtained for and having a strong reducing action, sub- I stantially as described. of the metal, or of cyanogen, or

' I do.

I mospheres.

7. The fixation of nitrogen by, reacting nitrogen, carbon and a metalin the presence of hydrogen and underapressure of at least fifty atmospheres.

8. The fixation ofenitrogen by reacting nitrogen, carbon and a metal under a pressure of at least fifty atmospheres, the carbon being present in a quantityin excess of that required for the reaction.

9. The fixation of nitrogen byreacting nitrogen, carbon and a metal under a 'pressure of at least fifty atmospheres, heating the reaction chamber to a temperature of at least 300 centigrade to start the reaction and permittingthe reaction to continue under the exothermic heat resulting from the reaction. Y

10. The fixation of nitrogen by reacting nitrogen, carbon and a metal under sure of at least fifty atmospheres, heating the reaction chamber to a' temperature of at least 300 centigrade to start the reaction and permitting the reaction to continue under the exothermic heat resulting from the reaction and continuously "supplying nitrogen to the reaction chamber under a pres-' sure commensurate with the rise in pressure due to the progress of the reaction.

a pres In testimony whereof I have signed my".

name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I EDGAR ARTHUR ASHCRQFT. Witnesses:

GILBERT FLETCHER Tyson, O. J.,Won'rrr.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patent;

Washington, D. G. 

